October 1, 2017             Introduction Blog written by Christopher

Introducing New Volunteer, Christopher!

Hi, my name is Christopher. I recently graduated from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina with a Biology and Psychology double major. I ran division-one cross country and track throughout my college career and have a love for any outdoor activities such as hiking, canoeing, and paddleboarding.

I grew up in the Great Smokey Mountains, giving me a great appreciation for wilderness. I also love to travel and whenever I have the chance, I travel to National Parks across the country. I have always had a love for animals, which was encouraged during my childhood, resulting in a variety of pets. During college, my passion for animals resulted in an internship at an organization that trained service dogs, a summer research project on small mammals using mark-recapture methods, and a growing interest in canine and primate behavior. I am now taking a couple years to gain research experience and intern at various facilities before applying to Ph.D. programs. I just completed an internship at Wolf Park, a wolf

During college, my passion for animals resulted in an internship at an organization that trained service dogs, a summer research project on small mammals using mark-recapture methods, and a growing interest in canine and primate behavior. I am now taking a couple years to gain research experience and intern at various facilities before applying to Ph.D. programs. I just completed an internship at Wolf Park, a wolf education & research center, where I was tasked with most aspects of animal husbandry and public education. Interacting with the animals throughout the summer created close bonds with many of the residents of Wolf Park, making it hard to leave. But I am ready for my next adventure; Madagascar!

I am so excited to contribute to ongoing research on such endangered primates while learning more about them and Malagasy culture in the process. I hope this experience will provide valuable insight into primate research and help me narrow down my research interests in preparation for graduate programs.